This place was one of the least-visited corners of the outer estate — too far from the central grounds, and with nothing in particular to draw anyone here.
“Oberon. How much farther are we going?”
“We’re almost there.”
“…My legs hurt. Can’t we just stop here?”
If they went any deeper, they would be completely cut off from other people.
Riersha deliberately made a little whimpering sound and pulled a miserable face. She leaned into the advantage of being a small child and let herself pout exactly as freely as the moment called for.
“Ah.”
Oberon slowed his steps, apparently having not considered that Riersha might lack the stamina for a long walk.
“…I apologize. I should have thought of that.”
“No, it’s okay. Can’t you just talk to me here?”
“…That’s a little difficult.”
“Why?”
Riersha blinked up at him, eyes wide, head tilted to one side.
Oberon averted his gaze for a moment, a faint discomfort crossing his features. He seemed to be worried about someone spotting the two of them together.
It was then that a memory surfaced in Riersha’s mind.
He wants to talk about the conversation we had the day I went to see Grandfather.
Truthfully, there was nothing else that would give Oberon a reason to seek her out.
What could he possibly want to say that required venturing somewhere this deserted?
In all honesty, she couldn’t bring herself to fully trust Oberon — and blindly following him somewhere isolated was the last thing she wanted to do.
But…
I can use my ability now.
If it came to that, she could use her mana to alert the people nearby to her location.
And as formidable as Oberon was, she couldn’t quite imagine him doing something openly reckless within the estate walls.
Having weighed it all, Riersha gave a small nod.
“Then since my legs hurt, let’s only go a little bit farther, okay?”
“In that case… if you’ll forgive the presumption — may I carry you?”
“…Excuse me?”
Riersha startled. Oberon hesitated, then stepped closer.
“Then, if you’ll allow me.”
He lifted her carefully, one hand braced gently against her back to make sure she wouldn’t topple backward.
Riersha flailed her arms in surprise before grabbing onto his shoulder to steady herself. She looked down at him, and Oberon resumed walking.
“Mm.”
She rolled her crimson eyes this way and that, stiff with awkwardness, slowly growing accustomed to the strange tension of the moment.
Then Oberon’s footsteps came to a stop. The world around them had gone completely still — not a soul in sight, only quiet.
His silver-grey eyes fixed on her, unwavering.
“Do you remember what you said to me that day?”
“Yes. I remember.”
“You told me that I would be able to stay with the ducal house for a long time.”
Riersha nodded to confirm it — yes, she remembered — and at that, Oberon’s eyes sharpened with something that moved beneath the surface like a current.
“Then does that mean there is a choice I might make that would take me away from the ducal house?”
“…”
“What is it that you know, Riersha?”
She had hoped he would let those words pass as something a child had said without thinking.
But what had to come had come at last.
Even so, Riersha found herself quietly relieved that the one asking the question was Oberon.
“Yes.”
“…!”
“Oberon…”
The truth was, she had spent a great deal of time thinking about this.
Whenever she had a spare moment, she had turned the question over and over in her mind — why had he turned against the family in the original story? No matter how many times she examined it, the Oberon standing before her now did not seem like someone who would betray them.
And yet… earlier today, during her lesson with Carden, a possibility had crept into her thoughts — one she hadn’t dared consider before.
“Because this place is more precious to you than anywhere else.”
“…”
“If something so precious felt like it was falling apart so badly it was heartbreaking — what would you do?”
In that instant, Oberon’s eyes flew open wide with shock, and something in them fractured, trembling violently.
The answer was one Riersha didn’t need to say aloud.
He would know it better than anyone.
Oberon was a man who would do anything — anything — for the sake of this family. And that was precisely what made it a double-edged sword.
She could see the fine trembling of his lips.
“…Then, Riersha — are you able to keep me from making that kind of choice?”
“Honestly, I don’t know.”
Riersha shook her head, candid in her uncertainty. No one could make promises about the future.
But what she could do was give it everything she had.
“Even so, I can promise you one thing. The day when Oberon makes a sad choice like that — it won’t come. Because I believe in you.”
“My lady…”
Oberon’s throat moved as he looked into Riersha’s resolute eyes.
He seemed to be searching for words, turning something over in silence. A moment passed — and then his lips parted again.
“That’s far enough, Oberon.”
Rosinante stepped into view. He had appeared from behind them without a sound, his face cold, a drawn sword leveled in warning.
Riersha sucked in a sharp breath.
How long has Rosinante been watching?
Oberon lowered his gaze quietly.
The edge of a blade rested against his throat.
“Release Riersha at once.”
“…”
“If you refuse, I will consider you in violation of your orders and carry out immediate disciplinary action.”
Oberon slowly bent his knees and set Riersha down.
From the surrounding shadows, the Arachrene knights materialized one by one, closing in to form a ring around them.
Seeing the situation grow more serious than she’d anticipated, Riersha panicked and waved her hands frantically.
“No, Rosinante! This isn’t — ! I was just talking with Oberon!”
“He was about to use his ability on you. Using one’s ability on a direct-line member of the family is strictly prohibited under all circumstances, save for acts of healing.”
Riersha spun to look at Oberon in shock.
He had already returned to his characteristic dry expression. When their eyes met — silver-grey against crimson — Oberon let his gaze drop downward, as if in admission.
And then.
“I want to believe in it too.”
“…!”
“Please. Help me become someone I can trust myself.”
Still on one knee, Oberon leaned close and breathed the words against her ear.
⁂
News that the Arachrene ducal family had withdrawn all of its forces from the border swept through every corner of the Declair Empire.
High society and the empire at large alike were set buzzing by the development.
More than that — even common citizens who ordinarily paid no mind to the affairs of the nobility found themselves watching this one closely.
“What in the world has happened? They should have been stopped. They should have been stopped by any means necessary!”
The Empress Karla paced the length of the room, her composure unraveling, her voice rising as she could no longer contain the anxiety clawing at her.
Macton Willias, who had been sitting with a grave expression, exhaled a weary sigh.
“I beg your forgiveness, Your Majesty. His Imperial Highness was simply too resolute in his position…”
“You cannot even persuade a single emperor, and I am supposed to trust you, Duke Willias?”
Karla’s words cut like a blade. Macton Willias broke into a cold sweat and bowed his head low.
“I have no excuse, Your Imperial Majesty.”
“What is there to celebrate about the Arachrene family dismantling their military forces…!”
Karla bit down on her lip. The knuckles of her clenched fist turned white.
…The ducal family’s power cannot be allowed to concentrate like this.
Her eyes glittered with a sharp, cold light.
What Karla wanted was one thing, and one thing only.
For the Arachrene ducal house’s strength to be scattered outward — as widely as possible.
Until now, everything had been flowing exactly as she had intended.
The young duke had been driven away to the west. Risideon was firmly within her grasp. The remaining heir was nothing but a small child — hardly worth considering — and Arcmund’s reputation was something of the past; age had worn him down to a shadow of what he once was.
And yet…
This is all because of that child.
Riersha Arachrene.
It was all because of that wretched little girl.
